Review: Gone by Michael Grant

Michael Grant‘s Gone reminded me of an old favorite from about fourth grade, The Girl Who Owned A City, because this, too, is a strange new world free of adults. In Grant’s novel, everyone aged fourteen and above in the town of Perdido Beach (which, aptly, as you will later see, means Lost Beach) vanishes suddenly, just, poof, dropping whatever they were doing, their suddenly abandoned cars crashing. All of the kids are left alone, and there is almost immediate chaos.

Somehow, after taking control in a dangerous situation, Sam becomes a leader of sorts, though he is challenged by local bullies. Sam, Astrid, Little Pete, Quinn, and Edilio work together to survive inside what they discover is a ten-mile radius around the nuclear power plant that is bounded by a barrier they cannot see any end to, see through, or even touch without feeling quite a bit of pain.

That’s not the only strange thing, though. There are talking coyotes, seagulls with talons, and snakes with wings. Mutants–but not the only mutants around. Some of the kids may not be exactly normal themselves…

After a few days, the rich, troubled kids from Coates, a boarding school outside of town, come in and take control of the situation. At first, Sam might be glad to be relieved of the pressure of being the leader, but something is seriously wrong with the situation, and by the time he comes to realize it, it might be too late to save himself and the rest of the kids–especially if, as the others who turned fourteen have done, he vanishes on his birthday, which is a scant few days away.

Gone is a huge book, over 550 pages, but the time passed so quickly while I was reading it, and I just couldn’t put it down! Last night, taking a break from my history homework, I picked it up, intending to read a chapter or two and then get my brain back on track. Instead, I read two hundred pages. That’s how absolutely engrossing this book is! And as for the writing? The book is so fast-paced, and I don’t even need to add this qualifier to that statement: “for a 550 page book that takes place over the course of only a handful of days,” even though it’s true. I didn’t even notice the writing, except for a few mistakes that I’m sure will be corrected in the finished book (I read an ARC), so it flowed well.

For the most part, I quite enjoyed the characters, although they were a bit simplified for my taste–psychotic bully, leader who can do very little wrong, saintly girl caring for small children (although she did have issues of her own), etc. I also thought that the characters sometimes acted older than they were supposed to be (thirteen, for most of the main characters), but I guess that being stuck in that situation would make them grow up fast, out of necessity. Still, though, it bothered me a couple of times. And those cover models don’t look like thirteen-year-olds, either, do they?

Now, this is not a literary masterpiece or anything, but it’s certainly worth reading, especially for fans of apocalyptic sci-fi, or Lord of the Flies. Which, actually, I hated, but they both have groups of kids fending for themselves. Also, heads are smashed in both, and there are warring factions. Anyway, I certainly enjoyed the characters in this book, and the premise, but really, the best part was how it was just a pleasure to read, absent of any brain-rotting quality. Not to say that it was a difficult book, but it was for reasonably intelligent readers, even if they are reluctant to pick up a giant book, as many are, and actually helped me once on FreeRice (where my highest vocab level is now a 47!).

The ending disappointed me, though. Certainly, there was some semblance of an ending (that is, it didn’t just randomly stop), but absolutely no questions were answered, and the central dilemma of being stuck in the FAYZ was in no way resolved. I would imagine there is a sequel on the way, in which case this is annoying but forgivable, especially if the sequel is good, but if there is no sequel it is an absolute disaster. However, unless something dreadful happens to Michael Grant or HarperCollins, there’s got to be a sequel, with the way this ended. And I’ll definitely be reading it!

*Edits for those who don’t read the comments: This will be a six-part series, coming out every summer, so look forward to that! The characters’ ages have been changed to fourteen, so my comments about them acting too old are negated (even though it’s just one year, I feel like it makes a big difference).

i couldnt stop reading this book it has all the suspense of a sci fi with some romance and some horror scenes i would definatly recommend this book to anyone who likes reading sci fi romance novals i cant wait to read hunger and the other novels in the series.

I thought the ending was good for the final confrontation. It is a very good book in my mind. added on to that is the fact I have a hard time finding intresting books. This next to one of the best books I have ever read. I have just started Hunger. I loved that there was no end to Astrids care for Pete. I am also intrested in the way that Caine is able to come in and look harmless when he enters the scene.

Im really excited for the rest of the series. I loved the both Gone and Hunger. The first time I saw Gone I new I had to get it cause it sounded so interesting, sadly my mom didn’t get it for me till way later. But the series so far is absolutly amazing and I wish to become just as great a writer as you.

The weird thing is that there was no end to the suspense in the book. Every page was so intersting and exciting. I was going to bust a gut when Adtrid was wanting to kiss Sam and he said not in front of Pete. Her reaction to that was turning Pete to look in the opposite direction ( and then she said “how about now”.)

One year is not a long time. You try writing a 550 page book and publish it (publishing is a lot more complicated then you think) and see how if you can fit it into less then a year. Trust me it isn’t easy.

This book is one of my first books to finsh, it i could not stop reading it! i want to read more as soon as i can, But i got confused in one of the parts… I dont get how little Pete caused the FAYZ what did he do?? Please Email me @ marshmallow291@yahoo.ca

This is definately one of the best books i have ever read. i am 13 years old(in 8th grade) and read it this past summer(around July) and oh my gosh, it is AMAZING. i could not put it down. the writing is amazing and dont let the lengh scare you it will go fast. by the way, i live in Florence, SC and was SO excited to hear that michael lived in NC…so cool. he is an amazing writer!

I agree that Drake is a phycotic sadist, But I think he has spark. It’s like Hitler. You hate him. But you have to give him his props – I mean he was so intelligent, how else could he have done everything that he did. Its insane someone could think up plans that are brutally but intensly genius. Drake did nothing of the sort. But you have to give him his props on feeling nothing towards his victims. He’s Insane and I’d never want him around me. But I think he makes the book Intense – like “whens drake gonna pop out and do something sick?”. I love him! but only because he helps to make the book brilliant.

ok well ive been readin up, looking for the date of the squeal and ive uncovered that it will becoming out in June 2009. i know it will be a long wait, personally i live this book just keep waiting it will come soon enough

Michael Grant. This book was amazing. It kinda makes me want to live in a world like theirs. Mostly for the experences though. It’s easy to relate to the scared and saddness you’d feel about “blinking” out. I’m 14 almost 15 and it would be scary to know that i would leave behind my younger brother. Anyways, I loved this book. I can’t wait for the sequel(s). I just finished Gone about 5 min. ago and I’m dying for the next one. You are an amazing artist of words and you have done such a great job. Thanks :)

I really loved this book and even though im 17 and should probably be reading more challenging books, i love this one! Im a fan of lord of the flies and this is rather similar, but sometimes the characters act older than their age but i kinda like that considering their gonna have to act older to survive the FAYZ

Yes i noticed that they act muuuch older then their age. Which striked me as odd but its all good cuz i think its great that they do. & yeah its made for younger adult but wow these books are amazing. & yet im 17 too!

No doubt about it, Gone is one the ‘those’ books. One that has an absolutely intriguing plot which captures you the moment you read the summary. I like how each and every characters reacted so realistically to the situation. Even Sam, the main hero, made mistakes, and didn’t become Gary Stu like many of the books I’ve read. I have countless theories all running about in my head, and all because of this one book. I have a feeling that sooner or later, this is going to become pretty famous. It’s fast paced, and leaves no space for a reader to put down the book. The writing style may be a bit simplistic, but somehow for this book, it suits it pretty well. The book slowly introduces the elements of fantasy in reality, and from the first page, I fell into the world surrounded by the FAYZ. I really look forward to the second book. Especially more about The Darkness and L.P.

hi everyone! just wanted to tell some info about the book. It will be a 6 book series, a new one released every June (i know…a long wait :( but..its worth it). the next one will be called Sacrifice! and one character will be killed!! I CANT WAIT! its gonna be good! Go Michael Grant i love Gone

I wish there was a movie… people have been talking about it, but I’m not sure if it really would happen. And anyway, the books are too long, and they would probs have to split the movie in two, so there would be 12 movies!!

i cant wait!!! i knew it had to be a series or atleast 2 books but i NEVER imagined that there would be six, i keep checking the internet to see whent eh next one will be out, but idk if ill be able to wait til Summer :(

I LOVE this book,totally in LOVE with it.
I have a few ?s ho,
1.Who r the people on the cover of the book?
2.Will there be a Gone movie?
3.If so when?
and
4.Will they get any older in the books,well i know Sam did,but still,who else will survive the vicous green monster?

1. I’d assume that the girl is Astrid and the boy is Sam. On the back, those two people are most likely Diana and Drake, (because Cain probably doesn’t look that phsyco).
2. To my knowledge, there has been no word on a Gone movie, but i agree with everyone that it would be awesome.
3….
4.I’d imagine Sam is going to. And according to what happenes, Sam is going to tell Astrid About the monster.

i think the next book is called hunger…. i cant wait for the next one to come out!!! i borrowed it from a friend and i liked it so much im gonna have to buy my own copy and get the whole series as they come out :]

When i was at the book store, i came across the book Gone and looked at it from the back, reading the plot. And then from then on, i wanted to have every book, and put then in order on my shelf – like the Maximum Ride series (If anyone heard about them.)

Oh my gosh!!!! I love love love this book. As soon as i picked it up and started reading, I had to know what was gonna happen next. Each thing led to another. I’m 15 already but it had me thinking what it would be like if I was in the book. That book was absolutely awesome. I’m kinda glad all the details weren’t given away. It keeps me wanting to read the other books so all my questions will be answered. Anyway, AWESOME BOOK!! :D

this book is amazing but seriously im 13 by the time the 6th book comes out i’ll b 19 i cant wait that long im mean how much can happen in 6 books seriously these kids r going 2 run out of food and things pleez the interval needs 2b way shorter the book size is good as it is the size shoul not get smaller it was perfect but none of my questions wer answered at the end i cant w8 a whole year!!!!

Don’t feel too bad. I’m 17 so being 19 when it finishes isn’t that bad. Just think. I will be 23. Let me tell u that I will read each one of them :). Plus I read a new book ever day or two. So waiting fur me is like even worse

I’m 15, and reading this book made me feel SO old… BUT STILL IT’S GREAT! There were some forms of the writing that I didn’t really like (mostly because i had to read it a few times to get the sentence, but maybe that’s just me) but the ending… after i read the final chapter I was, well, speechless to say the least. I didn’t know there would be sequels or whatever and I almost wanted to rip the last page in frustration. Cliffhanger much? OK maybe not so much BUT STILL. Thousands of ideas came in my head. Plot bunnies and all that, which is driving me to make fanfictions hehe

Okay, people, I breezed through this book but in the end I realized that I actually didn’t like it that much…even though Sam made some mistakes he was still your cliche hero guy, and kind of annoying. Astrid was too perfect, smart, funny, AND pretty, so that was also cliche, and annoyed me A LOT. Little Petey was realistic though, as one of my friends has a little brother who has severe autism as well and he acts similar to that. The protection Astrid gave to him was also realistic–my friend is the same way. The only characters I found awesome were Lana and Edilio, cause Edilio is just awesome and unique and Lana is so cool and I can totally relate to her. Quinn was ok, at least he wasn’t cliche, but I think that Grant went a little too far with all the violence. I highly doubt that people would go THAT far, especially if they were like MY AGE. Even kids who have been through a lot of violence would not do that. The talking coyotes was going waaaaay too far…the story would have been enough without the superpowers and the Darkness!! Overall I think the book is good at getting fans and hooked readers who want to know what’s gonna happen next but I know that this will be a book that I will forget quickly.

ok, I somewhat agree with you on the perfectness of the characters, but because you’re female, you probably wouldn’t understand the importance of the Darkness and powers. And besides, that was like the whole book.

Oh yeah and I forgot to say that the people causing ,ost of the trouble were at a school for troubled kids. They weren’t exactly stable. And the talking coyotes made sense because 1. everything was mutating and 2. only the pack leader could because he was being controlled by the darkness.

There actually will be a sequel. It is going to be a series of 6 books, whom Gone is the first one. 2nd book will probably be published july 2009.
And it was a fantastic book. There is one mistake, however: everyone over 14 vanish, not over 13. Perhaps in Holland it was translated differently?

R.V is right on the dutch cover, and kara is right on the english cover. However, when viewed together, each cover makes no sense. Who the h*ll is shooting the light on the dutch cover? And if sam is shooting the light on the dutch cover, than who is next to astrid on the english cover?

little pete somehow transported everyone over 14 out, and put up the barrier. Its not really clear, and i have read GONE and HUNGER. but i think the adults are gone cause the dad pushed petey or whatever during the meltdown, so petey got upset and did it without thinking to make it all stop.

ok, my theory is this. u know how they were talking about the numbers or something, and if its 11, don’t really worry, 12, worry, 13, panic, 14, pray, and 15, ur screwed? i don’t remember it exactly, but its like that. well, i think that has to do with their ages….

little pete made the fayz. his power level is really high so he can do really big things like that. remember when he transported himself and astrid to their house when drake hit astrid. well that is what pete did he got rid of all the adults but not anyone under 15 because that is his sisters age. he did it because the alarms were going off and people were screaming so he made it all go away he kinda also created the darkness. so yea i hope this helped

remember in the book that part that Sam showed Astrid before the FAYZ started….well little pete was with his father in the power plant and something went wrong and everyone was screaming and the alarm went off.. Little pete was covering his ears and walked toward his father.. bbut his father pushed him into a chair and little pete saw a button that was flasing red and pushed it and then everyone disappeared or look at pages 441 to 443

thanks! so little pete pressed the button- thats how everyone disappeared? i didnt really get that little detail. it was kinda confusing. but yeah, Gone, was really good!!! i loved it. just some parts are sorta wierd… :)
soybean, funny name…

Hey this is so crazy my name is Michael and my last name is Grant swar to god and once i saw the authors name i had to read it and it was awsome it should be come a movie just like Harry Potter. Loved the book so much> Cant wait till the next one

Gone is a great book. ALMOST as good as the twilight series which says a lot. Could not put it down but someone said L.P caused the FAYZ by pressing a button, but how does that cause it. I mean why would someone make a button that causes everyone over the age of fifteen to disappear? I don”t think it was the button, I think L.P used his little power thing and transported everyone somewhere idk about the wall thing though.

I would really love the second book to just be published NOW!
I have about 80 pages left of Gone, and i’m dying already!
I also think this would make quite the movie.
Anyway, perhaps the books could get moving faster?
I’ll wait a few months for the second one [i guess! :P] but perhaps the others could be released a bit faster, if they get done?

Eeek!
I neeeeeddd the next book!!!

These books are amazing.
Props to Michael Grant.
Very good writer,
although i have found a few errors in the book i have.

well it’s sort of obvious that he’d be 15 by the end of the book. whether sam disappears at the end or not, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s 15. as long as you realise what the countdown at the start of each chapter is for it should become obvious.

And I just finished Hunger, and I think it is an amazing book! I love how Gone is based all over the FAYZ and then Hunger is mostly based at the Power Plant and the mineshaft. Now I’m so impatient for Lies to come out that I could count the seconds. Have a feeling that the Gaiaphage isn’t gone yet.

omg, i borrow this book from a friend and hardly had time to do my homework, because as soon as i got home from school i didn’t even stop to have a food break, and read even before i went to sleep, now that is very unusual, because i’m not a big reader..

if anyone is wondering HUNGER the second book in the series is coming out in june or july, i can’t wait. it was such a good book i read it in a few days, i recomend it to anyone. does anyone know of other books that are like Gone and are just as good?

ok little pete did cause the fayz. heres how. in the book you learn that pete can teleport. His dad brings him to work one day. that day there is a radiation spill and alarms are going off. Pete is autistic and hates it. so to stop the sounds he teleports all the adults away. hope that helps. – emily

To Zach, One book that really interested me was “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins.
I’ll try not to give any information out.
Here’s a book discription:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of “Panem”, a shining Capitol surrounded by 12 outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to death on national Tv.

This book was amazing. I read it within three days. It has a great story line, not one of those i already know this story line can we get this over with books. Very original and VERY well written. all though i was getting sick of listening to that Lana girl talk about taking coyotes….

cuz he’s just that awesome and he has his amazingly awesome sidekick diana. i bet a billion dollars he turns to sam’s side and then there’s a huge war between normals and freaks next book. now it’ll be Zil vs. Sam or Caine. oh yeah, for some reason my mind doesn’t see it as caine, it sees it as canine…

Caine is actually my favourite as well. I really like Lana, but I don’t know why. Despite Caine and Sam working together briefly at the end of Hunger, I doubt that Caine would join Sam’s side. If he did it’d only be briefly. I love how all the way through Hunger, Caine fails to care for or even notice Diana but still basically stabs his right-hand-man in the back for her once he hurts her, I just love that! But I really want to know what happened to Drake. The book wasn’t very clear what happened to him in the final confrontation in the mineshaft. He seems to just disappear. Same goes for Jack.

I like Caine the best. I didn’t really like him in Gone, but ever since the end of Gone, the poof scene, he’s been my favorite character. And I love his relationship with Diana. So cute, in an evil way. Although I think it’s a bit unlikely for him and Sam to be twins. I mean, they just happened to both end up in the FAYZ and be the most powerful mutants other than Little Pete? Weird, right? I hate Zil. He’s such a jerk.

As you all know. GONE was an amazing book. Great Job Michael Grant, I am planning on making your book a big hit in my town. So far i have told all my friends about the book, and have gotten them to buy it. They all love it! I am also going to produce a short film on the book as best i can to get people interested. Hope you dont mind. HUNGER, can’t wait!!!!

i loved the book although their was too much lana. and i dont like diana or drake. i love sam and astrid together. the characters are great. I also really like quinn hes cool. and lana and edilio end up together too so thts good.

Hello fellow Gone fans!!! I read your comments above and thought I’d drop by and give my two cents! Well I sort of stumbled upon this book, now series(WOOHOO!!!) when I was walking through target in their book section. I was looking at the books near the twilight series when I saw this book with a super cute boy on the cover who I now know to be Sam! Well a couple of days later while at borders for heir breaking dawn book release party I saw it again and decided to buy it and I’m SO glad I did because it is one of the best books I’ve read!I am also a big fan of the twilight series,which I started reading just a short while before I discovered Gone. Even bigger of a fan than gone and the twiligt books, I am of the harry potter series!!!I love books about fantasy like witches and wizards,vampires and kids with superpowers!!! I recently bought hunger and am looking forward to reading that! If anyone wants to talk to me here on myspace or even email just post a comment here. I am always upnto talking to people Interested in the same kind of books I am! Also If anyone had any suggestions of books like these let me know!
P.S: if you are I to werewolves i found these books at my local library called the wereling! The first is called wounded two is called prey and the third just came out it’s called ressurection!
So yeah! Talk to me some time!

I thought GONE had a great beginning. I dis-like books when it takes 5 chapters to find out what the books going to be about. But in GONE the first page tells you the main problem, plus it sucks you in so you want to read more. I can’t complain about the ending because it’s going to be a series. So all in all it was a great book that keeps you on you toes waiting for more.

WOW, this book is absolutely amazing!!! I’ve read many books but this beats the lot. I couldn’t stop reading it, whether I was travelling or eating I just kept it in front of me because this books is so addictive.

Very nice to see the relationships going on as it adds a touch of reality to an upside- down world. However apart from the actual characters role I really love the powers assigned to each individual. My favourite character is Edilio. He’s got a sense of humor, he’s down to earth and brave and I saw it as no surprise that he was elected to be the vice-president after Sam.

I’m overjoyed to see that there are sequels to Gone and I just can’t wait to buy the next book to come out.

Also I was wondering if there’s going to be a film produced, like Harry Potter, Twilight etc.

I loved Gone! When I was little, the whole ‘Adults left, Kids play’ thing was like my fantasy, but this was so much darker and just plain better!!
Can’t wait for Hunger (Already have a copy held)
BTW: Does LP’s Gameboy have some kid of significance? It’s mentioned alot…

great book, but i find little pete sort of annoying. i know it’s not his fault cause he is autistic but the fact that astrid has to carry him everywhere, it just gets a bit annoying. but anyway awesome book though.

So I just finished Gone and I loved it.
I’ve gotten all my friends hyped up about it too, and I’m buying hunger tomorrow. Yeah, I know it comes out in June but Borders already has it, just like Amazon shipped the sixth Harry Potter book early. I am 14 and I can totally picture the world turning out like that if we were trapped in the FAYZ.

Some people are saying the characters act too old, but trust me, relationships are not unusual at all, and that’s without the pressure, drama, and extenuating circumstances of Gone. It’s the darker side of our world, a dangerous reminder of what teens can do, and that’s why it’s so incredible to me. It made me feel so much older after I read it, and made me really think about who holds the power in society.

Thank you so much Michael Grant for giving us a book for teens that portrays us in a realistic but darker light than the ditzy airheaded books that the industry has been cranking out lately.

Yeah I agree with bookworm awesome review!!! Andbi also agree with what you were saying about the complexity of the characters it’s cool that michael grant (genius by the way) could writeband did write these books for teens and young adults!

Well,
I finished the book a few months ago, and i fell in LOVE with it. Not kidding. i want the second book soooooo bad, but it hasn’t come out yet. We don’t have a Borders in Sumter, SC. We have a WaldenBook store. It is cool, though. OMG. I love the character of Caine!! And Diana!! They are like an evil pair. And at the end of the book, Caine went with Pack Leader to meet the Darkness!!! That makes me wonder… OH! And at the begining of the second book, which the have at the back of Gone, someone died from really wierd worms!!! That makes me wonder what kind of mutations the worms underwent. Geez!!!!!! I want that book so bad! Bonnie is lucky! OOOh! G2G.

omg, this was one of the best books i have ever read. it just came out recently here and to tell the truth it wasnt a big hit. althought i cant wait for hunger to come out, i have to wait a year. Gone was fantastic. i loved it soo much!

ayyy i am 12 years old and i LOVED the GONE and HUNGER books!! i just finished reading HUNGER two days ago. i got it the second day it was out and was finished in 6 days. I LOVE IT!!! it is very sad though….and emotional to me. BUT IT ISS AWESOME!!!

I just recently finished Hunger and it was AWESOME!!! There is no way I can wait for Lies. It doesn’t come out for a YEAR!!
But I’m wondering if this will ever become a movie? I want it to be, but it seems like too much to fit into one movie. Or if it was turned into a T.V show!!! That would work really well.

Hi i am Michael grant (note not the author )
gone and hunger are one of the best books i have ever read. It really should become a movie or tv show. and if it was a movie they can cut a lot of the side stuff. so yah

OMG i read GONE for a book project in LA class i was the first one done with the biggest book it is a majorly fast read and im already a fast reader i LOVE IT!(& not just because my names Lana!)lol i love it im 14 i thought i could really relate to the characters and i think its some of the best fiction i have read right after Harry Potter!!I just got HUNGER(the 2nd book)I finished it in 2 days!!When will next summer come?!?!?!i heard from my brother the next book is LIES and he just finished the rough draft and is going to start thinking of ideas for the 4th book supposed to PLAUGE from what i hve heard and i have not heard what the last 2 will be called.Im so hoping it will be turned into a movie its so much better then twilight and any other book ive read lately ive been trying to get EVERYONE to reas it(friends, families, even teachers)all my friends think its to long BUT I MUST SAY ITS A FAST READ!!

wait, so ur bro is micheal grant..? sweeeeet. hey can someone tell me wat the abstract and concrete and theme of this book is? im doing a report on it and i have NO idea except maybe not to bring ur autistic kid to a power plant….

I read both GONE and HUNGER in three days, and I love them both! I’ve been getting everyone I know to read them. I CAN’T wait for LIES and to know that happens with Britney, and how there will be enough food for everyone. I was so happy when I found out that there’s going to be six books! And to Lana, I did the same thing, but in Reading class.

goodness, you people are lucky, reading this for SCHOOL! we had to read stupid beowulf. anyways, great book, and to everyone who says “sam’s too cookie cutter hero blah blah”, are you blind or something?! he doesn’t even want to be the hero, he freaking breaks down, so what are you talking about?! oh, and diana kicks butt.

Ok. I wanna hear everone’s guesses for what might happen in the next book. Or the rest of the series. Whatever you think.

Here are my thoughts. I think Sam’s going to turn out to be the hero in the end. And the light that he made appear in the first book, and disapear in the second, that has a much greater purpose than it’s lead on to be. And the darkness and Drake are NOT dead! I’m 99.9% sure on that. But Sam controls the light. He can conquer the dark w/ light. I know that sounds sorta cheezy, but still. :p

yeah he is, a lot of girls in my school like him. he does a lot of modeling things, but like he doesn’t talk about it at all. like i just saw him on the cover and i know its him, but like he doesn’t brag about it at all, i think hes kinda embarrassed about it lol.

Hi fellow Gone fans!so I found these books while strolling through target last year. I saw the cover of Gone and thought the guy on the front “Sam” was super cute!!!kinds funny way of discovering a book but I’m SO glad I did! Around the same time as this I was introduced to the twilight series and even though they are really in no way similar they are books about fantasy which I love!even bigger fan than I am of the gone and twilight series I am a HUGE fan of the harry potter series!!!!!!! Back to gone though, I really love this book and just recently bought hunger so I am eager to read that! I’d love to chat here or maybe on myspace or by email to anyone interested in these books! Also if you have any suggestions for books like these I am open to them!

Have you read the Hunger Games series? It’s really good. I started reading it after I saw Stephenie Meyer recommend that book. It’s a trilogy. The first is in stock, and the second, only a limited amount of them are released. It’s an ARC, but the version that is sold in stores will be availible in September. I’m lucky enough to have one of the ARC copies.
BTW, that’s why I decided to pick up the book. :P

Hi I’m Laura (my comment is at the bottom) I love Gone, Twilight and Harry Potter SO much!! I also really enjoyed the Uglies series, by Scott Westerfeld. I think that’s how you spell it! Specials is a let down but Extras is really good. It’s not like gone really but there is a thing that happens when you turn 16 (not 15).

I like this book better than i liked twilight when I first read it.
Twilight is overrated now with the movie and all. I hate the movie it ruined Edward for me. I hope they don’t make a movie out of this, the only time it has really worked is harry potter.
Back to gone, I love Sam and astrid together it is really cute. Drake is awesome, he is sick in the head and it’s really great to read from his pov. Orc and Howard and them are really boring to read about.. The rest is fantastic.

And hey bookworm can you like freekin chill out! No one is trying to turn this into a twilight fansite okay! We are just talking about The book and comparing the two series! Peope have brougt up harry potter, me being one of them, and you haven’t said anything there so just cool it okay!this is supposed to be a cool website for people to talk about, yes Gone but you can’t controll what people talk about so quit leaving comments trying to do that! You’re not the comment police you’re just being a jerk!

I don’t really like the gone series more or less than the twilight series.. Like it’s hard to compare them cause they’re SO different! I like twilight cause it’s a love story but I like gone cause it’s SO real!!! Kids our age trying to figure out how the he’ll to get on when bullies are now equipped with the abilitybto kill some one with a baseball bat and get away with it and when wirmsbcan burrow into your skin and eat you alive! I really love the gone series.. Can you tell haha?

Gone is like… the best, and hunger too, i consider myself lucky that my teacher recommended me Gone, bought hunger all the way from the US to NZ, i mean, HUNGER would probably publish here at like… 2010! and i couldnt put it down i mean seriously!! i slept at 1:30 finishing it!

ps. have any of you guys seen possible LIES covers? i sorta lost the website, (ok i DID loose it)

i loved gone and hunger and cant wait for lies to out…. I think it is better than twilight because now twilight has become so over rated with the movies coming out and all the people going crazy and i think the gone chracters are more real not saying all this stuff could happen just saying there close to my age and i can totaly see my self in their position.(i would be a healer)

Omg i just finished Hunger and it was amazing but he needs to make the books come out sooner if he’s going to make 6… I mean that means we have to wait 4 more summers for all the books to come out!!!! Thats insane i think he should have 2 come out a year so we dont have to wait so long!!!! And besides the books were so amazingly writen i dont htink i can survive that long…

teh one thing i disagreed with is the characters being underdeveloped. i just finished the second book in the series “Hunger” and the characters were unbelievably complex. The character drake has the capability to make my skin crawl even though he is fictional.

yeah, but i meant you were like typing about hunger then sam randomly comes in like some signature on a letter. so i was like “sam? or Erich H 7?” but anyway, hunger was awesome. slept at 1:30 finishing it in one day.

I love both of the books, I can’t wait for the rest… I didn’t even want to finish reading Gone and hunger I just wanted to keep on reading and I would read them again and is funny bc I am going to be 23 in two months and I should be reading way beyond but cant resist lol ….

I love this book, as well as “Hunger”, the second book in the series. Both of them were gripping and intense. I love books like that.

Though I can’t wait to read the others, one book per summer seams reasonable. Think about it; many authors, J.K. Rowling, for example, have taken up to two years to release books in their series. Both of Michael’s books were within the five hundred page range. Which is a lot. So in my opinion, he’s actually working at a reasonable pace. Most authors don’t release more than one long book per year, anyway.

*Caution: Hunger Spoiler Alert* I finished “Hunger” in… what.. two days? It was phenomial!!! And I thought “Gone” was addicting! Anyways, I have some things to comment on:
1) In “Gone”, they talk about Sam’s father dying when Sam was 1 yr old, and no one else talks about him and/or his death. I’m guessing Sam’s father is the engineer that died when the meteorite struck the power plant.
2) If my intuition is correct (which it almost always is), the Darkness/ Gaiaphage is a “reincarnated” edition of Sam and Caine’s father. Since the destruction of the Gaiaphage and the death of Drake in Hunger, I believe that the Gaiaphage will come back stronger and more frieghtening than before, with the help of Drake’s “reincarnated” body.
Oh and Erich on the cover is cute, I guess, but it’s too much pout and brooding in his face. There’s not enough “looking into the future” and “thinking” in his gaze, which should be distant looking, by the way! See ya!

Ya, I thought that this book was pretty cool and like shannon says i think that drake is going to play an even more significant role in lies. He is going to be like the super bad dude throughout the series i can tell.
BTW the books are GONE HUNGER LIES PLAGUE
and i dont get why we have to wait so long for the books. Hes already finished Lies
I gess im just mad casue i love the books
my name is sam and i live in california
my email is slpearson@gmail.com
love to talk to anyone who loves the books

I love the book gone! in fact this is the third time I’m reading it and I’m still sitting on the edge of my seat with every word that i read! Thank you Michael Grant, for writing the best book on planet Earth!

I just finished reading gone last night, it took me about 7 hours as i luved it that much. Is hunger as good as Gone? and is it out in paperback, i have this dislike for hardbacks for sum strange reason.

Hey everybody!
i am a huge fan of GONE and am going to start hunger in the next few days.
i LOVED gone and was wondering if there is going to be a movie
i really home that there will be a movie b/c it would make such a god movie!!!
PLEASE LET ME KNOW IT YOU ANYTHING ABOUT A MOVIE COMMING OUT!!!!!

Just to clarify on a GONE movie: we do not have a deal to do a movie, nor are we close to a deal. It’s being “shopped around” as they say in Hollywood. But that’s a long way from an actual deal. I’m all for it, but we’ll have to wait and see what the Hollywood people say.

By the way: I’m done with LIES of course and about halfway through PLAGUE. (Just wrote an intensely gruesome fight scene and a kind of great love scene. Some days my job is just plain fun.) I’m pretty sure the final two books will be called DARKNESS and LIGHT. I haven’t made that final, but it feels right. Anyone have any comment on that? Like, don’t like?

omg! a love scene?! as is a sexy steamy hot makeout scene? or more than a makeout scene?!? omg!!! im so exited! i looove romance novels! especially when its liek intense and gruesome a couple pages earlier! wow! i cant wait! can you make them pleaseee not come out every summer?!? bc i need less tim increments between each book or i might blow up from the tension!!!! gahh!! hurry up and finish! but dont rush the story! but dont take your time!ok thx

If you see my email adress can you contact me by emailing me? I know I am 11 2/4 but I look older and I would LOVE to be in a movie. Can you tell me if they make a movie and if so where they are filming auditions? I could pass my age as 14, 15 years old. If you can’t see my email then contact me on YouTube. My username is 1Music1Girl1 and if you need more information about me I will make a video about myself or reply on comments.

when i read this book i finished then flicked straight back to beginning and read it again. I have to disagree with you at one point thoughm, i DO think its a masterpiece…one of the best books i ever read. Left me reeling at the end. and only 1 other books left me like that, and happened to be Harry Potter book 7…so you know. canny good.

I am IN LOVE with Drake! I no thats a bad thing (Sinces he’s a pyshopath!)
But I love him! He reminds me of James from Twilight: By: Stpehenie Meyer
(I think its because thay are both bad boys lol)
DRAKE+CHLOE=<3!!!!!!!!!!!!

OKAY FIRST OFF I LOVE THIS BOOK WITH ALL MY PASSION. IT IS SUCH A GREAT BOOK TO SIT DOWN WITH AND JUST PRETEND LIKE YOUR PART OF THE BOOK. I CAN RELATE TO ALL THE CHARACTERS IN THIS BOOK EVEN THOUGH I DON’T HAVE SUPERPOWERS! IF YOU ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT IT, THE CHARACTERS ALL HAVE NORMALCIES TO THEM AND EVERY PERSON CAN RELATE TO AT LEAST ONE OF THE CHARACTERS. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVEEE THIS BOOK <33

i agree with u dordor because this is an awesome book . Sam is such a hero because he had saved the girl out of the fire , but i think she died . But the little girl started it with her hands , which is soooo unbelievable , anyway have a HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!!!1

cuz on some other website, someone said the models on Lies are supposed to be Sam and Astrid.
and people also said the models on Gone are also supposed to be Sam and Astrid. but i don’t know if they look like the same people.

I love these books, I am just 11 and a half years old and takes me forever to read them but the books are great. I am more then half way done Hunger, there is always something new coming in the story.

I wonder if later in the series Sam or Caine would die, I think one of them will end up killing the other. I don’t want either of them to die, Caine is kind of a mystery to figure out and Sam is just so cool.

I’m also curious what’s going to happen to Little Pete, he may become the strongest out of everyone. First he can teleport people, second he’s saying more then “Munchy Munchy,” third he can make vision type things and fourth he can get into the Gaiaphage’s mind.

THE GONE SERIES SO FAR is one of the two best series i’ve ever read. (the second is the TWILIGHT saga) Just like in the Twilight series, i couldnt find a way to put the two books out so far in the series down. I REALLY want to know who the people on the cover are? especially the person who is suppose to be SAM TEMPLE. anyone knoww? if you doo please reply to thisss. ill <3 you forevsss :)
kthanks
byee!
<3 Jessica

I was enthralled by the gone series and am amazed that there will be six books, note anyone who loves this book should read the enemy by charlie higson it is awesome and could some one give me the names of all six books please?

I absolutely loved this book! And I agree with all the things you said they act way older than they are… for example the relationship between Sam and Astrid. Anyways I loved the book and I also read Hunger (the sequel) I prefered Gone but the sequel is always a little worse than the first book. It was still an AMAZING read and everyone should read it. btw the cover of Lies (third book…threquel??) just came out! SOOOO EXCITED!!

OMG I NEED TO KNOW THE NAME OF THE GUY ON THE COVER OF GONE (THE 1ST BOOK) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE….I KNOW ITS SAM OR QUIN OR SUMTHIN BUT I NEED HIS REAL NAME!!!! PLEASE HELP ME YOU GUYS!!!
P.S. THE BOOKS ARE SOOOO BA!!!! (BADASS) LOL :)

The guy on the front cover of Gone is Sam (although I don’t have that cover on my copy of the book, I know because I read it on the computer) and the girl next to him is Astrid. The Characters on the back are Diana and either Caine or Drake. Hope this helps! :)

in the summary it says everyone aged 14 and above dissapears but it should be 15 and above:P Sam and Astrid are both 14 during the contents of the book until sam resists the pursuasion to go with his “mother” on his 15th birthday.

No! Little Pete didn’t transport them! How come they can see outside it then? The Darkness controlled a plant worker to cause the meltdown wanting to feed on everybody. But Pete has strong powers. Astrid is closest to Pete. He used his powers to save Astrid and everybody younger than her.

OMG i luv these books there a great sub 4 potter fans…idnt kno y… I finished hunger like 3 weeks ago…I NEED MORE!!! i feel like mary before she pukes up food….lol ewww. SO Mike..HOW BOUT BUMPIN THE RELEASE DATE UP A MONTH?!!? lol

My name is Laura I am 11 years old and I LOVE the gone books. I read both gone and hunger in 4 days (probably could have read them sooner if my parents didn’t make me eat or sleep) and I wanted more. Lies comes out in May here in NZ and it is the 13th of April (so close)! I agree with what a lot of people are saying that the release date should be less than once a year. WE WANT GONE!!! lol. I do agree that the characters grow up fast, but that’s how things would be if the FAYZ happened. I think it’s pretty cool how much people can relate to the characters in the gone books, even though they’re fictional. I myself relate very much to Brianna (AKA, the Breeze). I’m actually sort of like her, minus the powers :P. I really hope that they DO make a movie for gone. I think that movies are never as good, but frankly I don’t care AT ALL if they make a gone movie :). I never see authors post a comment on their own review, so GO MICHAEL GRANT!!!! Your books are totally awesome!!

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!! I put Hunger on hold in my school library and I really want it!!!! I love Astrid!!!!! She is soo smart but I can’t believe that Little Pete caused the FAYZ. I mean OMG!!!! I is there a movie??? If there is, I want to see it SOON!!!!!

I’m starting on Gone. So far its really really good. Its very intersting and very intense. And since i’m a writer, like you Michael Grant, the work of yours is giving me lessons – on how to write in a certain way.
But, anyways, its a very interesting book. I enjoy it very much.

first of all id just like to say that i am honored to share the same name as the super awesome breeze :)
Ok iv heard ppl say that the kids on the back of lies is Drake and Brittany, but i dnt thnk thats it. The dude doenst fit Drakes physical description at all. Im like 80% sure its suppose to b Sanjit (cuz the dudes indian) and orsay cuz they say she has glasses and pigtails. i hvnt read that anywhere officially, thats just who i thnk they r

Yea but notice theyre both covered in dirt…if youve read LIES you know what im getting at. So that makes sense.Also Drake is described as tall and lean *thats not really how I pictured him but whatever* So, i believe thats correct.

I can’t believe how lucky people are to have lies already! I’ll have it in about 2 weeks when my dad gets back from America. To billy he’s going there for work anyway so why not make him get the book for me!? My sister is crazy she hasn’t even read Gone yet!

Gone was the first book that I have actually finished. I think it was a great achievement to read a 570 page book for the first book I have ever red. I red it for an assignment and i am not the biggest reader but when I piked that book up i had to read. One day I read 100 pages! I felt amazing to see that I could read that much. At the moment I am reading his book called Hunger. And yer I hope its half as good as Gone

This book is amazing, I picked it up in the teen section at barnes and noble. I decided between this one and The City of Bones, and automactically picked Gone, not only was it amazing though I did not have the urge to put it down once. When we were leaving I begged to get it, and I was out of luck untill my mom finally said, “Go get that book you wanted.” Now I’ll be occupied for a while, thanks!

I love these series!(:
read each book in less than six hours!
well, that’s normal for me. 8] lol, booknerd! :D
i absolutley can’t wait till plague!!
but it comes out ONCE a year?!
DURING SUMMER?!
mygod, i have another school year to go by, & then I’ll probably have to re-read lies to recap what’s happened. rawghhh, one more frickin school yearrr.
that means, I’ll be a freshman in college when I finish the whole series?! :O -cries-
ohmygoodnessssss.
preeettyplease, make them come out earlier! D:

these books are my new favorites..i HIGHLY recomend these books for everyone. also, i’d like to get the idea out that these books would make a GREAT movie series. i cant wait till the next book(i think its plauge)comes out! i love these books…also, even though the book says that drake is tall and lean..i picture him WAY more buff then the “drake” in the back of lies..the one on the back looks much too skinny and scrawny to be drake…but the sam and astrid look correct to me. :) anyways i really love these books and cant wait to read the rest as soon as they come out..and as i said b4 they would make amazing movies. :)

Who can give me a list of ALL the characters and thier powers,
thanks, oh by the way im only on chapter 5 of hunger and i have not read gone :O but i guess i get the point of gone so yeh, thanks :) So confused

Awesome series, ive read the three of them that are out and i cant wait for the fourth. The only problem i have with the series is that i hate Drake. I heard that it is going to be made into a fan made movie, but its by fans, not actual film artists. Im not going to watch the movie, the idea of fan made just makes it retarded.

Hi. Im reading this book for school and i left my book at school when i was gunna finish reading it cuz its due tomorrow can someone help me and tell me about the ending a bit. Like from chapters 33- the end plzz i know that they dont get the people back and Caine like takes over or something and Sam turned 15 but didnt want to go with them or something but can u still help me pllzzzz ???!!! =] =]

poor hannah do you live anywhere near a library cause the one i live near has them wow i sound like im makin fun of you sorry if it does i promis im not but i cant fill you in im not good at stuff like that ill over fill you sorry

the best books ever ive memorizd the names of all six books even though three havent come out yet gone hunger lies plague darkness light when i was like 8 i tried to read that book dident get far but now im nuts for`em so are my mom and sister but once we get it ive call the next yeah im nuts

ya awesome books im so excited about plague i can hardly stand it. I just dont know what to think about the upcoming plot. the darkness is obviously gonna take shape throughout the next books and drake/brittney is gonna escape. i think the darkness convinces brittney that he is God so then she works for him.

I’ve read Gone as well as (most of) Hunger. I thought this series seemed so interesting because of the uniqueness of the plot line and just everything in general that’s happening. It’s not just another werewolf/vampire teen romance. It incoorperates so many aspects: suspense and drama, romance and comedy, conflict and eventually, resolution.
So, any updates on making into a movie?? Casting??

seriously hanna? most of hunger! freaking read the book i read it in like two days. Ps is anyone exited for plague or what? I also think the nxt two are goons be sick. to anyone reading this cheack out my blog at http://www.highschooler.wordpress.com you’ll love it. peace!

I Know!!! im excited!!! it come out tommorow!! Yay! But what I cant wait for is to find out who gets pregnant!!! Remember, Astrid’s power is still a mystery so what if she has something to do with that??? …. ok maybe not, but I just cant wait, I pre-ordered mine because I wont be able to get it anywhere near me…

i finished it a couple days ago oh my gosh im aahhh i hated that i couldent tell my family everything!!!!!!!! i almost cried when my cousin came over he`s reading gone i wanted to scream at him your so behind

Omg I love your books! I am currently reading the book plague! I’m loving it!
If there is a movie how are we going to know when there are auditions cause I really
would like to audition for the part of either Penny or Taylor they are kool parts!
Anyways Thanks for making these amazing books! Can’t wait for Fear and Light! It’s gonna be amazing books! (:

at the end of hunger the song should be we are broken by paramore or somewhere in hunger or lies i guess. and by the way get a box of cookies and hide out at the beach till this is all over ”really thats your soulution cookies?

I just finished Gone and Have to say I liked it well enough. ALOT happens in the book. Its extremely fast paced and all.
But I did also hate the way Grant made 13, 14 year olds act as if their 16, 18+
it was wierd. It kind of annoyed me when they acted too mature for their age and not as a normal kid would in that situation – I just couldn’t relate to the characters well because of that. The ending also confused me a bit. :) its a bit wierd actually, I screwed up my face when it said all Sam wanted to do was go to the beach and SLEEP with Astrid. but I dispelled that icky thought but it was kind of hard because later in the book Elidio asks if he they want him to come to the beach with them and Lana goes in a “knowing” manner “no they don’t”.
LOL. wierd. but yeah – I questioned the character’s maturity throughout the book. but – in the end it is packed with action and stuff so. read it. :)this book reminded me of a spykids, Xmen thing with a simpson’s the movie twist. LOL because it’s like a kid version of Xmen only like in simpsons when they’re trapped in a dome thing.

omg luv luv luv these books! i go through one a day!!!!!!!!:) but the next one comes out in 2012!!!!!!!!! i soooooo cant wait this long! i wish that the could make i movie of this book! i would so play diana, or mayb briana or astrid!!!!haha drake is soooooooo scary

I LOVE THIS SERIES, ever since I read gone when it came out.
The only problem I have with it…it ruins my day when Im reading it, if im reading a particulary sad or gory part I get very emotional over it. I read a lot so books dont normaly affect me that much anymore but all of these books did. I acually got really mad and throw my copy of Lies at the wall half way though and didnt pick it up for a month. That might be the reason why I thought lies wasnt as good as the other books. Plauge was awesome though. Im going crazy about Fear, Grant said there going to be a part in it that was so dark his publisher asked him to change it. Thats Crazy how could it get any more dark.

omg ikr ? like in certain parts of the story i would just get really mad or sad and be like that the rest of the day . everyone would be like “what’s wrong ?” and it’d be kind of embarressing telling them my book is the cause xD but wait , how many books are there in the series ? and how many more are coming out ?

Exactly I had the same problem. It would ruin my whole day XD. Right now there are 4 books out. Gone, Hunger, Lies, and Plague.
There is going to be two more after that. The next one comes out in June 2012 I think. And it’s called Fear. There is apparently a scene that Grants publishers wanted to cut because it was “too dark” but he wouldn’t let them. I really don’t see how it could get much darker. So excited :3

“Gone” was so amazing ! i read it in , like , 3 days . i could never put it down ! and as soon as i finished it i practically ran to the library down the street to borrow “Hunger” and “Lies.” it was a great story with suspense , violence , romance , mystery , awesome characters (even Caine and Drake and Diana and all the bullies xD) , and an over-all great story line . i can’t wait to finish the other two . i have no doubt in my mind that these are going to be one f the best series ive ever read . i want them to be made into a movie ! it would be SO COOL on the big screen ^.^

i love this book i thought it was very well written and exciting there was always adventure on every page although i too like many others was disappointed by the ending however i am glad for the rest of the series ……. i hope they make a movie out of it because i think it would be really interesting……. although some of the violence scenes might get a little grusome…. [when the bully [orc] hits mary with a bat……….. uh i get chills]

oh my gosh! light the last book is amazing though it is very sad at the end and i expected more but i think this whole series is wonderful. My friend and I read it together and we have these long discussions about the book.Mostly about Sam and Astrid…

After I initially commented I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox
and from now on every time a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the same
comment. There has to be a means you are able to remove me from that service?
Thank you!

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i think is so great i have just finished hunger i really want to find out what happens to her and i love lana she such a fighter and everyone needs her power i love diana she is just trying to survive but u dont know what her end game

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This is Micheal Grant and I am so mad. First people say that I can’t read and have a little dick at CSG. I say fuck you! I am bad, so bad I raped the HR rep Jordan ! Bitch sucked my dick really hard. HR bitch.

Then Suzann tells me she wants to fuck me in the ass while I am having a meeting with Ron . Intel tells me she was talking shit about my plan to become VP of Caca

I love the Tigers and will suck any plays dick if they tell me. #fuckmetigers

Last this books sucks so don’t read it. Instead look at the justice center site and look for me. You will see a picture of me eating a steak and putting a bannana in my ass all while my meeting with the bitch admin from the front who refuses to wipe my ass after I take a shit. I call her caca face .